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In seminary, @JohnPiper preached chapel. Probably the best sermon I ever heard in person - "go and die" for the Gospel was my main take away.
Moslems are blowing up buildings and murdering people left and right and we should go and die for them rather than be murderous...
Moslems are blowing up buildings and murdering people left and right and we should go and die for them rather than be murderous...
Another part I loved, I attended a Presbyterian seminary & everyone (read folks from a Baptist background) suddenly discovered culture & culture making. Evangelism, for many of these men, was no longer an urgent and primary task, but it took a backseat to "making culture."
So instead of telling people that gospel, go play the violin. Go paint a picture. Have an intellectual discussion about "American Beauty" and just affirm the "truth, beauty, and goodness" found in those things and people will be drawn to you. Gone are tracts, 4 laws, and the hard
...sell, just a giant cushy, winsome support group that shows you understand. Homosexuality are victims of the church and not sinners in need of grace, aside from grace teaching them that life is "messy." Abortion is the by product of american consumerism, not murderous men.
Dead was the "church militant" and "church triumphant," and arisen was the church winsome and the church relevant in its place. This from a Presbyterian Seminary (the WCF was not required study).
Into a group of seeker sensitive men, not boomer style, but artist style..
Into a group of seeker sensitive men, not boomer style, but artist style..
John came in and rebuked it. I remember during a Q & A him saying something like, "Who cares about the violin? Yes, I get it. God redeems all thing and not one square inch, but you can make music and talk about culture for all eternity. Your job is to save souls!" More than a few
jimmies were rustled.
At the time I loved it. I'm an open-air preacher, long for revival, and have pietist tendencies, esp at that time, and Piper was a breath of fresh air.
Everyone wanted assurance that "sea shells" were meaningful and important to the "IMAGO DEI!" When in...
At the time I loved it. I'm an open-air preacher, long for revival, and have pietist tendencies, esp at that time, and Piper was a breath of fresh air.
Everyone wanted assurance that "sea shells" were meaningful and important to the "IMAGO DEI!" When in...
...doubt drop "IMAGO DEI" (it shows you really get it). And that Piper was detracting from our "humanity" and what it means to be human.
As time has moved on, I'm more of a Piper/Kuyper synthesis than I was & would still appreciate Piper's message, even if misdirected at points
As time has moved on, I'm more of a Piper/Kuyper synthesis than I was & would still appreciate Piper's message, even if misdirected at points
but Piper's social theory is wanting, b/c, in a sense, his theology doesn't have room.
His theology is pietistic & other worldy - he's not sure he'd defend his wife/daughter against a rapist. His theology, @ points, is sub-biblical. So it's no surprise his social theory is too.
His theology is pietistic & other worldy - he's not sure he'd defend his wife/daughter against a rapist. His theology, @ points, is sub-biblical. So it's no surprise his social theory is too.
